Fitzgerald talks assessments at Slopes meeting

A presentation by county Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald on property assessments and mass transit highlighted the March 13 meeting of the South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association.

City Councilman Bruce Kraus, and Chuck Half from the Mayor's Office, also spoke briefly.

The meeting began with the news residents within the Elm Street project area can apply for a façade improvement grant. Its purpose is to help homeowners with visible repairs or improvements to the exteriors of their homes, such as brick, porches, and railings.

As a grant program, it matches a homeowner's investment dollar for dollar.

The grant program is administered by the SSSNA for the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which receives state funding for the program.

On March 26 at 6 p.m. at the Brashear Center, a community gardener open meeting will be held on how to plan, grow, and more.

In news of StepTrek 2012, its tentative date is Sat., Oct. 6.

In his remarks, Mr. Half said community meetings such as this one provide a great opportunity to convey timely information, and to receive input from residents to carry back to the Mayor's Office. In addition to reviewing the city's plans for the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade, he said the state's neighborhood blighted property act, or Act 90, is on-going.

In his brief presentation, Mr. Kraus said it was "so refreshing" to see so many new faces at the meeting, referring to the eight new Slopes residents in attendance.

Regarding the controversial, proposed South Side Flats NID, he said everyone wants the same thing, but sees different routes to obtaining it.

In a NID, property owners agree to a self-imposed annual fee for services which supplement city services, like a security team and street cleaning.

While supporters view it as a means to secure quality-of-life services in light of the havoc wreaked by bar patrons, opponents call it double taxation.

He called the on-going process of community meetings on the issue "democracy in action."

Mr. Kraus said other cities have had success in managing such entertainment areas. One means is through the Responsible Hospitality Institute (RHI), which the city will shortly be engaging in a contract to deal with the effects of the South Side bar saturation.

The non-profit RHI promotes cooperation among those involved in hospitality, safety, and community development groups. The RHI's approach is communication, cooperation, consensus, commitment, and collaboration among stakeholders.

Regarding the South Side branch of Carnegie Library, he said it is undergoing a $4 million renovation. The plan is to open by late summer.

A public hard-hat tour of the library will be held on May 5 from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The hat will be provided.

In other local news, a fence is up on the Riverfront Park off-leash dog exercise area, which he hopes is open by early summer.

The hope is also the renovated Market House will open in late May or early June.

In his talk, Mr. Fitzgerald said a series of town hall meetings will be held to assist homeowners with the 2013 court-ordered reassessment.

The upcoming local ones are: March 28 at Baldwin High School; March 29 at Brashear High School; and April 2 at the Allegheny campus of Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC).